Topical Bible: The Deluge: Came Suddenly and Unexpectedly

◄ The Deluge: Came Suddenly and Unexpectedly ►

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Topical Encyclopedia

The Deluge, commonly referred to as the Great Flood, is a pivotal event in biblical history, described in the Book of Genesis. It serves as a divine judgment upon a world that had become exceedingly corrupt and violent. The narrative of the Deluge is found primarily in Genesis chapters 6 through 9, where it is depicted as a cataclysmic event that reshaped the earth and humanity's relationship with God.

Biblical Account

The account begins with God's observation of the pervasive wickedness of mankind. Genesis 6:5-7 states, "Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was altogether evil all the time. And the LORD regretted that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him in His heart. So the LORD said, 'I will blot out man, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—every man and beast and crawling creature and bird of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them.'"

Despite the widespread corruption, Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Genesis 6:8-9 notes, "But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God." God instructed Noah to build an ark, a massive vessel designed to preserve Noah, his family, and pairs of every living creature from the impending floodwaters.

Suddenness and Unexpectedness

The Deluge came suddenly and unexpectedly upon the earth, as emphasized in the New Testament. Jesus Christ, in His teachings, likened the days of Noah to the coming of the Son of Man, highlighting the unanticipated nature of the flood. In Matthew 24:37-39 , Jesus states, "As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. And they were oblivious until the flood came and swept them all away."

This suddenness underscores the theme of divine judgment and the importance of vigilance and righteousness. The people of Noah's time were engaged in their daily lives, unaware of the impending disaster, despite Noah's role as a "preacher of righteousness" (2 Peter 2:5). The floodwaters came as a surprise to those who had ignored the warnings and continued in their sinful ways.

Theological Implications

The Deluge serves as a powerful reminder of God's sovereignty and justice. It illustrates the consequences of sin and the necessity of obedience to God's commands. The suddenness of the flood is a testament to the urgency of repentance and the need to live in accordance with God's will. The narrative also foreshadows the final judgment, as seen in the teachings of Jesus and the apostles, urging believers to remain watchful and prepared for the return of Christ.

Covenant and Promise

Following the flood, God established a covenant with Noah and his descendants, symbolized by the rainbow. Genesis 9:11-13 records God's promise: "I establish My covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth." This covenant signifies God's mercy and His commitment to the preservation of life, despite humanity's propensity for sin.

The Deluge, with its sudden and unexpected arrival, remains a profound narrative within the biblical canon, offering lessons on judgment, grace, and the enduring faithfulness of God.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Matthew 24:38,39
For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Gospel Feast
... are His people; and that feast, so suddenly, so unexpectedly ... to exercise itself;
and when they came into the ... Peter expressly affirms this of the Deluge, and St ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol vii/sermon xii the gospel feast.htm

The Marvels of Holy Scripture, --Moral and Physical. --Jael's Deed ...
... "Grace and Truth came by Jesus ... class of persons of the historical reality of the
Deluge, to find ... God coming suddenly to view in Nature, (which is an essential ...
/.../burgon/inspiration and interpretation/sermon vii the marvels of.htm

The Life of S. Hilarion.
... though God were threatening a second deluge, or all ... mountains of waters everywhere
else fluid suddenly become hard ... a merchant ship after two days came to Cyprus ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/the life of s hilarion.htm

Babylonia and Assyria
... Gilgames, and embodying the Chaldaean story of the Deluge. ... Ambassadors came from
Ararat and from Gyges of Lydia ... Suddenly a revolt broke out which shook it to ...
/.../early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter vi babylonia and assyria.htm

part ii
... faith, firm trust, and love unfeigned: for to Him Who came to make a ... the wounds of
the heart, the disturbance, affliction, and oppression suddenly vanished, as ...
//christianbookshelf.org/calvin/my life in christ/part ii.htm

The Temples and the Gods of Chaldaea
... of Gilgames' fairy javelin, which came and went ... of the same passionate infatuation,
suddenly interrupted by ... saved Shamashnapishtirn from the Deluge; every day ...
/.../chapter iithe temples and the.htm

Exposition of the Doctrines of Grace
... was done by Augustine, when the Church suddenly woke up ... law""By one man's disobedience
judgment came upon all ... the account of man before the deluge, and there ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 7 1861/exposition of the doctrines of.htm

The Assyrian Revival and the Struggle for Syria
... north-western point of his territory, suddenly invaded Nummi ... on, or massacred, all
who came within their ... the mountains, and descended so unexpectedly upon Zamru ...
/.../chapter ithe assyrian revival and.htm

part i
... When it came he did not wish to die ... how He enters into it, and suddenly tranquillises
and ... the Lord can save us!"instantaneously, unexpectedly, imperceptibly. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/calvin/my life in christ/part i.htm